The Vases
by IvyValentine1
Summary: Alfred cares for a girl after she flees from the Sewer King.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Batman TAS characters.

The girl trembled while she carried a bowl of rolls. Worry filled her eyes. She focused on the Sewer King as he sat near a table. Although the Sewer King was polite when he consumed food, she always dreaded him. His usual scowl. How quick he was to discipline any kid causing him distress by placing her or him in a light-filled chamber for a few hours. How he remembered the light hurting their eyes.

The girl turned to her companions. Other thin children clad in rags. The girl recalled running near them as she obtained lots and lots of pretties for her king above the sewer. Necklaces. Bracelets. She remembered other things about her friends. Viewing the wet faces of the other children after the Sewer King disciplined them. A memory of wrapping her arms around the children. Her smile. How they smiled.

Eyes settled on a vase in the middle of the table. A vase containing the Sewer King's mother's ashes. The girl remembered how close the Sewer King was to his mother. At least close for a man living in Gotham City's sewer.

Words from the Sewer King remained with the girl. How he cared about his mother. His rare smile when he mentioned her caring for him.  
Purchasing one expensive stuffed alligator for his sixth birthday when she had very little money. Always embracing him. Making sure her young son was happy.

The girl also recalled the Sewer King's scowl after he mentioned his mother's demise some time ago. How he protected the vase containing her ashes. How he scowled at the children if they even glanced at the vase. Almost attacked the children if they were by the vase. Almost as if he was afraid they were going to cause the vase to shatter by breathing near it. How the vase was always in the middle of the table.

''The rolls. Please,'' the Sewer King said to the girl. He frowned before she placed the bowl near the vase. The Sewer King's eyes widened as soon as the bowl contacted the vase. His half-shades slid down his nose while his jaw dropped. He blinked repeatedly. He shook his head in disbelief.

After the vase fell and shattered, ashes were revealed.

The Sewer King's eyes were still wide before he cried out. He turned to the girl and his other children. The Sewer King viewed their wide eyes. Their trembling bodies. His body trembled for a different reason. He began to scowl at the girl.

Children stepped back at the same time. They remembered what the Sewer King was like when he was enraged. How quick he was to discipline any kid causing him distress. Perhaps they were all going to be disciplined.

The girl turned before she ran. Not willing to suffer in the light-filled chamber, she approached a ladder. She climbed the ladder. She saw a lid and pushed it to one side. The girl found herself on the streets of Gotham City. The lid was used to conceal the opening. That was when she ran again.


	2. Chapter 2

There were barren streets. Barren shops.

The girl continued to run. She couldn't return to the Sewer King. Tears formed in her eyes at the thought of abandoning her friends. Perhaps the Sewer King was going to discipline her friends. The girl refused to imagine him placing them in a light-filled chamber. Their tears as they suffered without her.

How could the girl abandon her friends?

At least the Sewer King wasn't near her. What was she going to do? The girl remembered the Sewer King showing her how to steal ''pretties'' from the ones above the sewer. She also recalled approaching various people. Flicking bracelets and taking them for her king. Obtaining a necklace.

The girl guessed she was able to steal bits of food. She heard a vehicle and looked back. She focused on a man clad in a suit as he drove. The girl tilted her head to one side as soon as he imitated her. She still ran. How was she able to assume anyone was kind after she was with the cruel Sewer King? Was she going to return to the light again?

After losing her balance, the girl gasped and flailed. Eyes became wide again. The girl fell forward and on her side. After wincing, she closed her eyes. A few seconds later, she opened them. She recognized the man she saw earlier. Concern in his eyes. Standing near her.

Eyes closed again.


	3. Chapter 3

Many hours later, the girl stirred. She opened her eyes at a snail's pace. The girl sat up. She found herself in a dark bedroom. Under a blanket and on a bed. It was difficult to remember previous beds. The cold sewer floor was where she and her friends usually slumbered.

A small table was near the bed. Curtains concealed a window.

The girl heard footsteps before the same man she viewed earlier appeared. Her body tensed as her eyes widened again. She heard him while he introduced himself as Alfred. Although she was in a warm bedroom, she still wasn't certain if he was going to harm her. She remembered the Sewer King mentioning taking her in. Knowing what was good for her.

''Are you hungry?'' Alfred asked.

The girl nodded twice. She couldn't remember when the Sewer King asked if she was hungry. She followed Alfred into a kitchen and sat at a table. Her eyes settled on a bowl of bread rolls in the middle of the table. Memories returned. Memories of a scowling Sewer King after a bowl of rolls knocked the vase containing his mother's ashes down.

The girl's body shook another time.

Concern returned after Alfred glanced from the girl to the bowl. ''Perhaps a bowl of fruit instead,'' he muttered. Alfred turned to fruit on the kitchen counter. He took the bowl and placed it in front of the girl. His eyes widened the minute she devoured most grapes. ''One grape at a time,'' he said while she ate two grapes at once. Every grape was consumed.

Alfred watched with wide eyes as the girl wolfed down one apple. His expression of concern came back. ''Your parents don't feed you?'' he asked. Alfred viewed the girl frowning. He thought there were tears in her eyes. ''You poor girl.''

Other grapes were consumed.

''What are the names of your parents?''

The girl looked down and still frowned.

''You don't have parents?''

Extra tears appeared in the girl's eyes.

''Perhaps other relatives take care of you? Guardians?''

Tears ran down the girl's face.

''I'll care for you until you're in a new home.''

Alfred thought he saw a small smile.


	4. Chapter 4

After eating every bit of fruit, the girl wandered into another room. Her eyes were on various objects and walls. She walked into a table and winced after her knee contacted it. The girl viewed a vase falling and shattering on the table. Memories of the Sewer King's vase shattering came back. She gasped and stepped back at the same time. Tears formed again.

Alfred appeared before he viewed the shattered remains of the vase. His eyes widened. He watched as the girl trembled uncontrollably.  
''I'm not angry about the vase,'' Alfred said. He smiled near her. ''There are plenty of vases here. I'm able to fix the vase.''

Alfred eventually repaired the vase before his smile returned. He turned to the girl. ''See? The vase was simple to repair.'' Alfred continued to smile as soon as the girl was happy again. His elbow contacted the vase. He watched as the vase fell and shattered another time.

Alfred and the girl blinked at the same time. ''Maybe not.''

THE END


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